A state prisoner on Monday became the fourth person charged with the Albany kidnapping of a high-level marijuana dealer presumed dead AA a disappearance with possible ties to two other missing persons cases. Ricky Thornton, 40, known as AAL,AA was escorted into Albany County Court by state correction officers to face an indictment alleging he took part in the June 13 abduction of Steven Jackson at 40 Parkwood St. The location was described by authorities as a marijuana storage house. less

A state prisoner on Monday became the fourth person charged with the Albany kidnapping of a high-level marijuana dealer presumed dead AA a disappearance with possible ties to two other missing persons ... more

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Jason Benn (Albany Police Department)

Jason Benn (Albany Police Department)

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Gino Uzzell (Albany Police Dept photo)

Gino Uzzell (Albany Police Dept photo)

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Man: We got rid of body

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Correction: Jason "Jay" Benn is the friend Anthony "Inf" Davis said was with him when they went back to the check on Steven "Swag" Jackson at his weed stash house. The text has been corrected.

ALBANY — Anthony "Inf" Davis told jurors Friday that he and three others beat and hogtied drug dealer Steven "Swag" Jackson when they went to his weed stash house on Parkwood Street two years ago to rob him and left him tied up and alive.

Then Davis said he got a call two days later from Jackson's friend Gino Uzzell, who said he had not heard from the dealer.

"I thought, damn, he's still tied up over there," Davis testified. "We figured he'd free himself after a while."

So, Davis said, he and his friend Jason "Jay" Benn went to the apartment and Davis sent Benn in to check while he waited in a vehicle.

"He came back and said the guy was cold, dead," Davis said. "I said, 'Damn man, we got to figure out what to do.'"

It was the second day of testimony in the retrial of Benn, 39, of Albany; Ricky "L" Thornton, 42, of Rensselaer; and Louis "U.B." Chaney, 45. They all face 25 years to life in state prison if convicted of charges that include second-degree murder, first-degree murder, first-degree burglary and, in the case of Thornton, conspiracy.

Davis took a plea deal to cooperate for a 10-year prison term. Uzzell, who also cut a deal with Albany County prosecutors, is expected to testify.

The day got off to a rough start when juror 2 sent a note out to acting Supreme Court Justice Dan Lamont saying that when she left the courthouse the night before, Thornton pointed at her in a threatening manner from inside the prison van that was leaving the courthouse to return to the county jail.

Lamont had a discussion with Assistant District Attorney Francisco Calderon; Thornton's attorney, Holly Trexler; Chaney's lawyer, Michael Mansion; and Joseph Meany, the lawyer for Benn, about the fact that the prison van had no windows.

Despite the inconsistency, the juror was dismissed.

"You are excused with an abundance of caution on our part," Lamont told her.

When the other 12 jurors, and three alternates, returned to their seats, they were asked to raise their hands if juror 2 had discussed anything with them about the defendants. None did, and the trial continued.

Davis said the four donned rubber gloves and bandana masks and went to the stash house to steal the keys to Jackson's Guilderland home, where, they were told by Uzzell, there was a large stash of cash, possibly $100,000.

Davis testified that after roughing up and binding Jackson and taking his keys, they all went to the Guilderland address, but when they gained access, they thought they heard a security alarm and took off, never getting any money.

They did steal 38 pounds of pot from Jackson at the stash house, Davis said. He testified he earned $14,000 after selling his share.

After Benn discovered the body, Davis said, the two drove around and had a couple of beers trying to think what to do.

"We were driving, and Jay (Benn) saw a manhole and said, 'Let's put him down a manhole,'" Davis said.

He said the two got bedsheets at a dollar store and went back to the stash house, where Davis saw Jackson on the bed.

"He was stiff and knew from, like, watching movies that meant he was dead," Davis said.

They wrapped the victim in the sheets and dumped his body head first down a manhole opening on Terminal Street, Davis said.

"We thought we'd hear something, but there was no splash, and we didn't hear nothing at all," Davis said.

Jackson's body was never found.

Calderon told jurors during opening arguments Thursday that Jackson's family waited and waited for any sign of him.

It was nine months later when Davis went to authorities and told them what happened.

The family "never got that text. They never got that call," said Calderon, who is prosecuting the case with Assistant District Attorney Eric Galarneau. "And they're never going to get that call."

Just before the day's break, Trexler tried to impeach Davis by pointing out several inconsistencies between his Friday testimony and testimony he gave to a grand jury and during the first trial.

The defendants' first trial, which lasted from Oct. 31 to early December, ended in a mistrial on the murder, kidnapping and burglary charges.

Chaney and Benn were acquitted of conspiracy charges. Benn was cleared of tampering with physical evidence on the allegations he dumped Jackson's body. He was convicted of possessing Jackson's credit card and using it at a Price Chopper on Central Avenue within two hours of the abduction. It was Benn's 12th conviction; Thornton has nine prior convictions, and Chaney has five.